Emergency Physician Dr. Hiroshi Imai Appointed Advisor to 'kokolo sauna'; Promoting the Value of 'Sauna and Cold Baths as Preventive Medicine'

INSIGHT WORKS Inc., the company behind the sauna and cold bath brand 'kokolo sauna®' found in hotels, resorts, and bath facilities across Japan, announced that Dr. Hiroshi Imai, a director at the Kuwana City Medical Center and Professor Emeritus at Mie University, has joined as an advisor. Dr. Imai brings over 30 years of experience on the front lines of emergency medicine.

Dr. Imai states that through his clinical work, he has often realized that by the time patients require emergency care, it is frequently too late. Therefore, he advocates for the concept of 'Mibyo' (pre-illness/preventive care)—adjusting health before sickness occurs—as an essential necessity for modern society. He specifically highlights 'hot and cold alternating baths' via sauna and cold water immersion as a key habit for this purpose.

Dr. Imai addresses modern complaints such as chronic stress, sleep deprivation, mental fatigue, and autonomic nervous system imbalances by emphasizing the importance of sleep, diet, exercise, and stress management. He outlines the value of saunas as follows:

1. Promoting blood flow and conditioning the body: Improves circulation and provides moderate vascular stimulation.
2. Regulating the autonomic nervous system for deep relaxation: Balancing the nervous system through thermal stimulation.
3. Achieving mental silence to rest the brain: Temporarily detaching from daily distractions to reset the mind.
4. Enhancing communication and reducing loneliness: Fostering liberation through sharing time and conversation with others.

While Dr. Imai emphasizes that those feeling unwell should first seek a medical checkup, he recommends saunas and cold baths as part of a reviewed lifestyle for those whose clinical tests show no abnormalities.